These friends quit their jobs to clean up the Caribbean (and it looks incredible)

Rubbish isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a tropical paradise. Unfortunately, it’s exactly what four twenty-somethings found when they rolled into a town on the Caribbean coast of Colombia

The four friends were in the midst of an epic journey, travelling the entire length of the Americas on a yellow school bus. Sort of like if On the Road took place on a School Special. But once Nadine, Danielle, Barney and Leve saw the extent of the rubbish, they paused their travels and started working out how they could help.

We “noticed the amount of rubbish dumped literally anywhere,” the team told bodyandsoul.com.au, “we saw the damage that plastic litter causes for land and the marine life.”

And so the ‘Clean Up the Caribbean’ campaign was born, with the foursome aiming to pick up at least 600 bags of rubbish to help influence “younger generations, locals and other travellers to unite forces and make a difference!”

“We are fortunate to be able to travel, it lets us see other people’s situations and be more humble and grateful for everything we’ve got,” the team said.

“Simply, we want to give something back.”

In the meantime, life onboard is pretty cruisy. The foursome, as well as any travellers they’ve picked up along the way, usually start the morning with a sunrise surf followed by yoga on the beach. But it's not all play, with the team heading out “to pick up rubbish before midday because otherwise, it's just way too hot.”

The friends also try and connect with locals as much as they can, sharing meals and stories late into the night. The group are self-proclaimed “massive foodies” so learning about the local cuisine is a particular highlight.

“We feel very connected to local produce and farmers. Every day we are inspired by their relationship to sustainable and fresh food...the more natural the better.”

Image: Supplied. Yellow Submarine With WheelsSource:BodyAndSoul

Nadine, Danielle, Barney and Leve also stay healthy with a slightly unorthodox on-board training regime (skip this part if you're safety conscious). Essentially, while “one person is driving, others are able to do floor workouts, such as tricep dips off the sofa, using water bottles as weights and doing squats and lunges.”

When the bus rolls inland, the friends “love to get off the bus to explore the nature around us or look for a natural renewing mud-bath.”

“Going on 2 to 4-day hikes such as Machu Picchu and Huaraz in Peru or Puracé volcano in Colombia are also rewarding challenges” for the group.

At the moment, the foursome is fighting to keep the bus and their recycling campaign alive, raising money to get the bus to Panama and continue to pick up rubbish. “The bus has brought all four of us together and made us a family. It is our once in a lifetime adventure, we are not ready to give up on it!”

For more information on the ‘Clean Up the Caribbean’ campaign or to offer your support to keep the Yellow Submarine With Wheels rolling, check out their GoFundMe or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

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